Underwater Swimmers Captured in Incredible Photos

Australian photographer Mark Tipple has emerged as a notable documentary photographer over the past three years, working closely with organizations seeking social change in Australia and beyond.

His latest project – The Underwater Project – is an ongoing reportage showcasing Australia’s relationship with the ocean. He is working with humanitarian organizations to provide them with media to seek funding for their projects.

"I want to tell stories about the ocean, and to help those who help others," Tipple says. "To be able to do both of these through a medium I love is a dream come true."

Tipple's clients include Edify, The Salvation Army, World Vision, Christian Surfers, House With No Steps, Planet Ocean, Beyond Water, Nanda Dian Foundation, and 100Revs. His work has appeared in publications worldwide, including The Australian, The Telegraph, The BBC, The Independent, National Geographic and Discovery Channel.

Tipple shares his photos and more about The Underwater Project with Robert Johnson, photo editor for The Weather Channel:

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Why did you start this project?

About 10 years ago I tried to make it in the surf film industry, and spent a few years traveling around Australia filming at all the premier locations. However after all the time and work that went into the production, the films weren't very good. I became a little jaded at all of the other films that were around at the time but still wanted to be involved in the ocean, and started to try something different and capture the power of waves in a different way than what was being done. It took another seven years until I found myself at a beach in Sydney caught in the wrong place by a larger wave, as I dove underwater I noticed a few swimmers next to me, and thought to photograph them to see what they went through as they had to deal with the wave above.

How long have you been working on the project?

The first underwater swimming photo was at the end of 2009, which kick-started the series.

Describe your process for shooting these images.

When I'm in the water I try and keep a low profile and not advertise what I'm doing; I used to ask people if I could photograph them as they dive under the wave but it had a negative effect on the photo as they'd either wave at me or throw a peace sign (or worse). This looked cool but wasn't what I was after for the series.

When a wave approaches I'll dive underwater before it breaks and get into position for the swimmers to breach through the white water and head towards me. As they surface I'll generally stay underwater for a short time and look to see if there's another wave about to break - if there is I'll photograph that wave as well, or I'll surface and see if the last wave made a cool photo. If there's a photo that looks interesting on the back of the screen I'll show the swimmers who are generally pretty stoked, or if the moment was missed I'll just keep at it. It's not uncommon for me to shoot for half a day and only have a few keepers, but they're worth it to me.

What are the challenges that you face when you are shooting?

The biggest challenge would be murky or sediment filled water. Even on a clear day a single heavy wave can stir enough sand to make the next 10 minutes impossible to see let alone shoot, so it's a bit of a hit or miss type of deal. On a recent trip to the Cook Islands we found the water to be as clear as an indoor pool, however the downside being it's shallow reefs and sea urchins lying below just waiting to claim some skin. Again, a hit or miss type of deal.

What type of equipment do you use?

I use a standard Canon Dslr with a wide angle lens (Canon 5D Mk 2&3 + 16-35mm lens), but the underwater housing is what makes the equipment work so well. I use an Aquatech underwater housing with 8" dome port. The beauty of the housing is having all the functions available to change/adjust while staying in the water, making it simple to keep up with the changing weather. Plus I have a pair of Churchill swim fins so I can either get in the right place at the right time, or out of danger if I'm in the wrong place.

How often do you work on this project?

During summer I try to shoot at least 3-4 times a week, but that really depends on the weather. Sydney had a fair bit of rain over the past two summers which not only flush out the storm water drains leaving the ocean filthy but it also keeps the swimmers away. The ideal time to shoot is mid-morning to early afternoon as the light is even throughout the water and the ocean floor (this goes against every photography book or tutorial) but, even when it's raining if it's warm there might be a small window for clear water and a few swimmers. I guess it helps that Sydney's eastern beaches are a mecca for tourism. During the winter months I usually travel overseas and shoot underwater or work on a series of ocean films. It really depends on finance and the other side of my photography work.

Is there a particular weather condition that is better to photograph in than others?

Personally I love calm overcast days, when at the horizon the water almost blends into the sky. We used to call those "double grey days" when I was filming surfing. This was always said with annoyance as the surfing footage wouldn't look very good. Now I'm shooting underwater I love how the subtle light wraps around the swimmers and sculpts the white water, which also makes the ocean floor seem to fade into the distance.

Having said that most people love to go to the beach and swim when it's a nice sunny day, which is also amazing to see sometimes hundreds of people breaking through a wave at the same time. It's on days like this I receive a number of kicks to the head or get trampled on if the wave picks people up and they become disorientated underwater – which is totally my own fault for getting in people's way I guess.

What are the dangers you encounter?

Apart from disorientated swimmers trying to regain control with limbs flying everywhere the only real danger I've experienced is rips or waves larger than I anticipated. A few years ago I swam out at Tallow Beach in Byron and was immediately swept around the lighthouse and was held by a rip until I scrambled to shore at Wategos Beach, or later when a friend and I swam out to waves that we thought were 6 foot but were actually closer to 10 foot with close-out sets kicking us straight back to shore. I haven't had any close calls or serious situations yet (touch wood), but it's an amazing feeling to know that no matter how comfortable you feel with the ocean it can change what it's doing and teach you a lesson without warning.

Describe a time when you were in danger.

A good friend and I were at Tallow Beach in Byron Bay, the waves were pretty big and messy but we had been driving for 20 hours and were desperate to get into the ocean. I entered the water in the corner to use a rip to get me to the shallow sand bar where a fun left hander was breaking, but quickly realized there was more water moving than I could swim against. I was trying to paddle against it to the sand bar but realized that it pretty much had me, I was conscious not to panic which would waste energy so I just started to tread water and let it take me.

The week before I was in South Australia and saw a seal get eaten by a shark no more than 20 meters (22 yards) from where we were surfing, so as I was sitting in the rip being swept around the lighthouse sharks were racing through my mind. There were a lot of tourists looking down at me from the lighthouse so I wasn’t to worried, at my ordeal going unnoticed, when I made it into a smaller rip running along the rock and into the beach around the point there were two rescue boats heading out to sea, and I later heard that the helicopter was just about to take off to join the search.

That year three people had drowned due to rips at the same beach, so I guess the lifeguards were pretty quick to respond to any threat of another drowning. I walked back to my car, conscious that it could have gone wrong really easily, but also stoked to have experienced that amount of power from the ocean.

Do you feel the wave is a metaphor for anything?

Personally I love the idea that waves and the ocean are keeping me in line, like as confident as I feel in the water I know it can kick me back into line whenever it wants. I'm definitely not the fittest or fastest or most confident in the ocean, but when I'm underwater and a wave is crashing above me the idea that I have survived that wave but have no idea what the next wave will hold keeps me wanting to experience different types of waves in different places.

What distinguishes your photography from any other underwater photography?

Photographing people diving under waves has been done before – I'm good friends with a number of people who focus on the same concept – but I think it's the diversity of my series that appeals to people. For the first two years the only thing I wanted to do was to photograph people underwater, and at that point in my life I was fortunate enough to literally drop whatever I was doing, run to the beach and photograph underwater in all sorts of weather conditions. These varying conditions produced images that seem to trigger a memory in people who may not be able to recreate it; to know that my work has impacted people I've never met is something I could never have anticipated, and constantly humbles me.

Any weather challenges?

In June last year there were news reports that a storm would hit Sydney at 10 a.m., bringing 40 knot winds (46 mph) and large, messy seas. I had a lot of editing work to do that day so I was grateful to know I wasn't going to be missing out on an amazing day shooting underwater. But by 1 p.m. the sky was still sunny and the winds were light. I sat at my desk until frustration got the better of me at 2 p.m., and raced to the beach. The clouds had moved in but the winds were light – the overcast conditions produced the "double grey" I used to dislike and now love – but the news swa still saying the storm was on it's way.

I took my camera and started filming video of a wave or two every few minutes, or a lull in between sets, wanting to see how the day would change as the storm hit. It took another four hours of waiting in the water until the 40 knot winds (46 mph) hit bringing the larger wind swept seas, shortly after I tried to keep the camera rolling as the rain turned to hail and I had to blindly bodysurf a wave in to get to shore. To see the edited piece in a two-minute time lapse of four hours is pretty cool, and made up for the shocking chest cold I fought for the next week.

Describe one of your most exciting times you photographed?

I was living with a family in a village on one of the outer islands in the Fijian Islands when we were hit by two cyclones back to back. I was there to photograph how they lived on the island with the ocean at their doorstep and family close by. The weeks before the cyclone were filled with playing in the waterfall and singing into the night, with no electricity or radio on the island I was the last to expect or be ready for the cyclone.

I woke to Semi, the father of the family, saying I need to bring my tent inside and out of the wind – I was still waking up and remember thinking there wasn't any wind overnight – as I unzipped my tent and saw the trees higher up the hill folded in half I didn't have to be convinced that the wind would rip through the village any minute.

I spent the next month weathering the two cyclones and helping with the rebuilding, babysitting the children when the parents had to talk or collecting sea snails to eat when the ocean was too rough to fish and the salvaged crops ran out. For the brief time I was there I learned a huge amount of what it takes to live how they live and how important a strong family bond can be.

What are some of your other projects?

There are two sections to my work. One is the underwater photos and short films about the ocean that comprise The Underwater Project, and the other is working with humanitarian organizations to provide them with media to seek funding to further their projects. An example is a community center in Tanzania who are helping the youth in Kigamboni through acrobat and dance programs which in turn enhance their education classes. And also in Australia I work closely with a youth sector of the Salvation Army and another disability charity to showcase the programs they run that furthers the work they do.

I want to tell stories about the ocean, and to help those who help others. To be able to do both of these through a medium I love is a dream come true, and to see this have a positive effect on others pushes me to keep swimming and producing work I'm proud to share.